title: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation involving large and small joints. Systemic manifestations as well as involvement of paraoral tissues contribute to morbidity. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) plays a central role in RA by amplifying inflammation in multiple pathways that lead to joint destruction. Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors were first licensed for clinical use in 1998; 3 have been approved for the treatment of RA: Iinfliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab. The purpose of this paper is to review the pathogenesis of RA, the state of the art of therapy, and the most current information on the safety and efficacy of TNF inhibitors for treatment of RA.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: Nelson L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Rhodus
authors.forename: Ketan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D000068800:Etanercept; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000276:immunology; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012907:Smoking / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C487763:cyclic citrullinated peptide; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept